Orientation automatic adjusting



Feb. 4, 1941. 1.. M. POTTS 2,230,435

ORIENTATION AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING Filed NOV. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG. 1 #5 INVENTOR.

LOU! S M. POTTS Feb. 4, 1941. L. M. PoT'rs ORIENTATION AUTOMATICADJUSTING 3 Shee'tsSheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1938 FIG. 5

FIG. 6

FIG. 7

INVENTOR. LOUIS M. POTTS A ORNEY.

Feb. 4, 1941. L, M, 'PQTTS 2,230,435

ORIENTATION AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING Filed Nov. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F IG. 9

STOP START I 2 3 v 4 5 INVENTOR. LOUIS M. POTTS FIG. 15 A ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES ORIENTATION AUTOMATIC ADJUSTINGmllottgfivanstomlll assignorto'l'eletype Generation, Chicago, 111., a.corporation of Delaware Application November 17, 1938, Serial N0.240,942

Claims.

This invention pertains to telegraph systems and apparatus andspecifically to telegraph systems involving apparatus for phasingautomatically.

An object of this invention is to provide methods and apparatus formaintaining the transmitting and receiving apparatus in a predeterminedphase relationship.

In many automatic telegraph systems a rotary signal distributor is usedfor transmitting signals and another rotary signal distributor is usedat a receiving station to detect the signals. These distributors aredriven in unison or in phase with one another by means provided for thatpurpose. For best signal reception, it is usual to have the signaldistributor test each impulse of a code in as small an interval and asnear the middle of the received impulse as possible. Due, however, tovariations in the operation of the receiving 20 apparatus or due tovariations in the received signals, the relative time of occurrence ofthe testing and the middle of the received impulse may vary considerablyand under certain conditions will cause errors if no corrections areapplied.

In start-stop telegraph systems corrections are made manually.Accordingly. a special object of this invention is to make suchcorrections automatically.

A feature of the invention resides in accomplishing the objects bycausing a reversal of line signalstoflashalightandtosensethislight by ashutter device operated by the receiving distributor, and under controlof the sensing function to change the stopping position of thedistributor and so automatically correct for noted variations wheneverthey occur.

The above and other objects of the invention are accomplished bystart-stop receiving instrumentalitiw with mechanism includingoppositely directed ratchet wheels and electromagnet means under thejoint control of the received signals and a locally controlled opticalsystem for cha n the stop and start position 45 of the receivinginstrumentality and thus oompensate for the signal variations and assurethat the desired portion of each signal impulse is effective.

A more complete m1 of the inven- 50 tion may be had from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 shows a receiving circuit system, a portion of the apparatus ofthe system being shown in sectional view taken on line l-I of Hg.

Figs. 2 and 3 show views of driving ratchets, pawls, and magnets, asindicated by lines 22 and 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows circuits of a transmitting station;

Fig. 5 shows a view of shutter and photoelectric 5 cell assembly takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows a detail of a frame member shown in assembly in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 shows the assembly of start-stop members which form a portion ofFig. 1;

Figs. 8 and 9 show details of manually adjustable shutters shown also inassembly in Figs. 1

and 5;

Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 show variant operating conditions of shuttersshown also in assembly in Figs. 1 and 5;

Fig. 14 shows time relations between currents in the circuit system ofFig. l; and

Figs. 15 and 16 show further views of starting mechanism shown also inFig. 7. 20

In general, a receiving start-stop member I00, Fig. 7, is controlled tostop and start by stop arm III and carries a gear wheel I02 which,through an idler gear I61. drives in start-stop manner a shutter shaftm, Fig. 1, which is journaled in frame members I and I05. Shaft I03bears gear I06 and shutter disc I01 having windows Ill and I03. Framemembers I04, I05, and H0 are parts of a light box divided by septum IIIhaving a window II2. Mounted on a bushing in the septum III areadjustable discs 3 and III, having large and small windows H5, H6, Illand II! and handles I I1, I20. Mounted in the light box and in alignmentwith window II! are exciter lamp Ill and a photocell I22 having oneanode and two cathodes of which one cathode is positioned to receivelight through window 3 and the other cathode is positioned to receivelight through window 3.

There is provided a rotatable shaft I30 having a worm I 3| in engagementwith gear teeth on a segment I32 integral with a member of anorientation device, which member, when moved by the worm, will changethe orientation of the telegraph receiver. I

Fixed on'shaft I30 are two oppositely faced ratchet wheels I33 and I30.Near ratchet I33 is a magnet I35 having armature I36 and pawl I3'I torotate the ratchet I33 and shaft I30 clockwise, Fig. 2. Just beforecompletion of its motion, armature I30 opens a contact I40. Near ratchetI3! is a similar magnet III having an armature and pawl to rotate theratchet I34 and shaft I30 counterclockwise, Fig. 3, and having a similarcontact I42.

Receiving line relay I03 in circuit with line conductor I has a glowlamp I50 connected directly to contact I5I and connected also to contactI52 through receiving selector magnet I53, the circuit being such thatthe glow lamp I50 will be shunted out by contacts of the relay I03except during transit time of the relay armature immediately subsequentto a change of signal in the transmission line. Time relations be-'tween signal currents in line conductor I00 and currents through lampI50 are illustrated in Fig. 14, in which line m illustrates time valuesof marking and spacing currents in. the line conductor I00 and line I50illustrates time values of currents in the lamp I50 during the momentarytransit time when the armature of relay I03 is not in engagement witheither of its contacts I5I and I52. Each flash of lamp I50 will controlphotoelectric cell I50, which is connected to vacuum valve I55 which,in' turn, is connected to the anode I50 of photoelectric cell I22through resistance I51, thereby energizing the cell I22 for operation ateach flash of the lamp I50. Cathode I58 is connected to the grid of gasfilled valve I58 and cathode I00 is connected to the grid of gas filledvalve IOI.

Upon receipt of code combinations of impulses, disc I01 will rotate andwindows I00 and I08 thereof will pass fixed windows H0 and H8 permittingflashes of light to reach the cathodes of cell I22. A flash upon cathodeI50 simultaneous with a flash of lamp I50 will control cell I22 topermit current through valve I55 and magnet I35 to rotate shaft I30 andto changethe orientation adjustment. If cathode I00 is illuminated,current through valve IN and magnet I will rotate shaft I30 in reversesense, and the orientation adjustment will be changed accordingly. Whenthe orientation adjustment is correct, the fiash of lamp I50 will occurbetween flashes from windows H8 and H0, and no current will fiow througheither magnet I35 or I.

More specifically, Fig. 1 shows at I05 a single magnet selector orsword-and-T type fully described in Patent 1,904,164 granted to S.Morton et a1. and shown in Fig. 1 thereof with details of magnet I53 andorientation arm I50 to which the gear segment I32 is added for the ms ofthe present invention, and further shown in Fig. 20 of the Morton patentand in Figs. and 16 of this application with stop arm IN and cam drumI00 to which has been added a gear wheel I02 as shown in Figs. 1 and 7of this application for the purposes of this invention.

In operation, the magnet I53 is normally energized by current throughfront contact I52 of line relay I03, thus holding its armature I05 inattracted position. Upon retraction of armature I85 in response toreceipt of a spacing signal in line relay I03, a striker member I80,Figs. 15 and 16, pushes a sliding pin I81 which rocks a bell crank leverI88 which in turn rocks a latch lever I88 to unlatch a stop gate I80thus releasing the stop arm IOI and permitting a friction clutch I8I torotate the cam drum I00 of the swordand-T selector. While thesword-and-T selector is used specifically for illustration herein of oneapplication of the present invention, the invention is applicable to anyselector or regenerative repeater having a rotary start-stop member, asfor instance the regenerative repeater shown in Patent granted January4, 1938. Gear I02 through idler I51 drives gear I00 and shaft I03, equalnumbers of teeth on gears I02 grounded through resistor I00 and hasfilament "I connected to potentiometer I12 at a contact point to makethe filament sufficiently positive with respect to grid I00 to rendervalve I50 nonconducting. Upon simultaneous electrification or mode I50and illumination of cathode I50 in cell I22, with resultant currentthrough resistor I00 and change of potential on grid I50, current willflow thereafter independently of grid I00 through plate I13, conductorI10, winding of magnet I35, Fig. 2, closed contacts I00 andpotentiometer I12, energizing the magnet I35 to operate armature I30 andpawl I31 to drive ratchet I33, shaft I30, segment I32 andorientationadjustment arm I05. Armature I35 will move fiexible contact spring I00and the flexible companion contact spring I15 will follow in engagementwith spring I00 until armature I30 has performed the work designed,whereupon spring I15 engages an adjustable stop I15 and spring I00 -IOIand contacts I02 operate in similar manner to move the orientation armI00 in reverse sense.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the shaft I03 bears fixed upon it astart-stop disc shutter I01 having five long radius windows I 00 andfive short radius windows I05 arranged in pairs, each pair preceding andfollowing a radial line, the radii being spaced angularly to correspondto the angular spacing of cams on cam barrel I00, Fig. 7, and the radiallocation of the windows are such as to align them with cathodes I50 andI50 in photocell I22. Between start-stop shutter I01 and frame memberIII are two fixed shutters H3 and H0 adjustable manually by frictionalrotation on a bushing I11 fixed in frame member III.

- Shutter H3 is movable by a handle II1 projecting through a wall of thelight box and has a small operative window II9 which limits andpositions a beam from lamp I2I through window I I2 in frame member II I,through clearance window H0 in shutter IIO, through window II8 andthence to cathode I60, shutter I01 permitting. Shutter II3 has also alarge window II5 which gives clearance through shutter II3 for a beamlimited and positioned by window H8 in shutter IIO. Shutter H0 ismovable upon bushing I11 by handle I and has small operative window H8and large window II5 for clearance of the beam through window 9.Shutters H3 and H0 are effective to vary the angles of shutter I01 atwhich the windows I08 and I08 in shutter I01 permit illumination ofcathodes I58 and I50.

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 show variant operating relations among theshutters. Fig. 10 shows the rotor disc I01 when it is in correctposition corresponding to the time at which a reversal in the linecondition occurs. It will be noted that if the armature of line relayI03 effects a transit at this time neither of the cathodes of cell I22will be found illuminated and no current will be effected through cellI22.

In Fig. 11, the disc I01 has not rotated as far as is shown in Fig. 10and if at this time a reversal of line current conditions occurs, lightwill be passing through the window III to illuminate cathode I00,eii'ecting current through cell I23 to render the gas filled valve I"conductive thereby supplying current to magnet I for operating armatureI82, Figs. 1 and 3. Ratchet I and shaft I" will be rotatedcounterclockwise, Fig. 3, while gear segment I22 and orientation arm Iwill be rotated to increase the Orientation angle as defined aboveherein. When the selector drum li'lll is next released, the disc ID! atthe time of change of line signal will be in a more advanced position.

Fig. 12 shows the conditions when the rotor disc I" has advanced too farwhen the reversal of line conditions occurs. In this instance, lightwill be passing through window III to illuminate cathode I58 and magnetI will be energized to move the orientation arm I in reverse sense.

Fig. 13 shows an adjustment of shutters II: and ill such that there isan appreciable angular distance between windows Ill and "9. With such anadjustment, a tolerance is permitted in operation of the shutter memberIll without effecting readjustment of the arm I.

A signal applied to lamp 5" is detected by photoelectric cell I, andamplified byelectron discharge valve I55 and is applied to the anode I56of cell I22. The present invention is not to be understood as limited bythis detail, since many variations are possible, and a sufiicientpotential applied through a resistor and connected to anode I may beconnected also to contacts l5l, I52 when the grounded armature willshunt the anode and reduce the potential upon the anode except attransit time.

Fig. 4 illustrates a start-stop substation circuit including batteryIll, resistor l8l, transmitter contacts II! and selector magnet "3connected in series with line conductor I.

The invention may be applied to any distributor having a rotarystart-stop member and variations in details may be made to conform tothe selector without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A phase controlling system comprising a gas-filled space-dischargevalve, an electromechanical phase-changing work device, a plate circuitthrough said valve and through said electromechanical device, meansoperative to start current in said plate circuit responsively to areceived out-of-phase electrical signal impulse. and a pair of normallyengaged electrical contacts operable by said device to disengage fromeach other when said device has reached a condition attained by virtueof having performed phase changing work.

2. An electric signal phase controlling system, comprising a gas filledelectronic valve having a plate circuit, an electromechanical phasechanging work device including a movable member for performing work, acircuit including said plate circuit. said electromechanical device anda plate circuit current terminating means, means responsive to areceived signal for initiating said plate circuit current to operatesaid device, and means controlled by movement of said member to operatesaid terminating means when the work of said device has been performed.

3. An electric signal phase controlling system, a signal distributor.comprising a photoelectric cell, means to energize the anode of saidcell in response to change of character of received character signals, astroboscopic device responsive to change in character of some receivedcharacter signals, means controlled by said stroboscopic device forilluminating a cathode of said cell, and means controlled by said cellwhen energized and illuminated to change the adjustment of saidsignaldistributor and of said stroboscopic device with respect to some otherreceived character signals.

4. An electric signal phase controlling system, comprising means totransmit code signals composed of a starting signal impulse andsignificant character signal impulses, a signal distributor, aphotoelectric cell, means to energize the anode of said cell in responseto change of character of received significant character signalimpulses, a stroboscopic device responsive to a starting signal impulse,means controlled by said stroboscopic device for illuminating a cathodeof said cell, and means controlled by said cell when energined andilluminated to change the adjustment of said signal distributor and ofsaid stroboscopic device with respect to said significant charactersignal impulses.

5. A signal phase controlling system, comprising a signal distributor,a-photoelectric cell having an anode and cathode, means for illuminatingsaid cathode at regular intervals, means including a light sensitivedevice for energizing said anode at irregular intervals, and operatingmeans for automatically adjusting said distribufor and controlled bysaid [cell when concurrently energized and illuminated.

6. A signal phase controlling system, comprising a signal distributor, aphotoelectric cell having a light sensitive cathode illuminated atregularly recurring intervals, a further light sensitive deviceilluminated at irregularly recurring intervals, means to render saidcell conducting when said cathode and said further device areilluminated concurrently, and means responsive to said cell whenconducting to vary the condition of adjustment of said signaldistrlbutor 7. An automatic orientation adjusting structure, comprisinga printer selector, phase adjusfing means therefor operable before andafter the preferred instant of change of a received signal, furthermeans operable only at the factual instant of change of a receivedsignal, and means responsive to concurrent operation of said adjustingmeans and said further means and eifective to operate said adjustingmeans.

8. An automatic orientation adjusting struchire. comprising a signaldistributor, a movable member responsive to a change in received linesignal, stroboscopic means operable before and after the preferredmoment of "change of said movable member, further means operable onlyduring the movement of said member, and means responsive to concurrentoperation of said stroboscopic means and said further means andeffective to change the orientation adjustment of said signaldistributor and of said stroboscopic means.

9. An automatic orientation adjusting system, a photoelectric cell, anadjustable signal distributor, a stroboscopic shutter driven in unisonwith said distributor, means including said shutter to illuminate saidcell before and after the occurrence of the most favorable phase of saiddistributor for a change in received signal, means to render said cellresponsive only at the change of received signal. and adjusting meanscontrolled by said cell when responsive and controlling the adjustmentof said signal distributor.

10. In a telegraph receiving device, means to generate short electricimpulses corresponding to each change in character of a receivedcharacter signal, a rotary signal distributing device, me-

chanical means to change the phase of therotarydevicewlthrespecttothetimeotthereversal, and 'means to control themechanical means by the short impulses.

11. In a phase controlling device, an electronic device including acathode and an anode, means independent 01 the electronic device togenerate an intermittent voltage varying in timing according to a seriesof events, means to apply said voltage between the anode and thecathode, means to release from the cathode electrons -ac-. cording toanother series of events and means to generate a control currentaccording to the overlap of the two sets of events for-adjusting saidphase controlling device. j

12. -In a signaling system, a signal distributor,

means to generate short electric impulses corresponding to each changeof character of the character signaling current, an electrical circuitincluding two photosensitive elements, means to illuminate the twosensitive elements alternately, and means to generate a control currentaccording to the coincidence oi the electric impulses with theillumination tor automatically adjust- 5 ing the phase setting oi saidsianal distributor.

13. A phase controlling system comprising a mason-as gas-filledspace-discharge valve responsive to a received signal impulse, anelectromechanical phase-changing device including a movable workingmember which operates mechanically to change the phase oi a' rotatableelement, it normally closed electrical contact arranged to be opened bysaid working member, and a plate circuit through said space-dischargevalve, throu h said phasen device and through said contact establishedin response to an outoi-phase condition occurring during a signalperiod.

14. In a start-stop telegraph system, a line conductor, a receivingrelay in said line conductor and responsive to marking and spacingsignals impressed on said line conductor, a rotary element, and meansior'varying the phase relation of said elements including a lightsensitive device controlled during the rotation of said element, anelectronic device controlled by the joint action of said light sensitivedevice and' element accordingly.

LOUIS M. mm.

